The middle of July signals the first signs of the roe rut in England. The crops of wheat and barley still stand tall, making the stalking hard, but exciting.

A lot of glassing precedes any venture on foot. Any vantage point; high seat, grain silo or high seat, is put to full use. Before you hunt you target, have to find it!

At this time of year we have one big advantage.

Being able to call deer in.

This we do with the Butillo call. This little rubber ball can transform the improbable into the possible.

This morning we were lucky.

My stalking partner, Phil and I; covered much ground. From our crows nest, on top of a silo on the farm, we can see more than a mile of ground. Plenty of does and fawns spotted .But no bucks. But where there are does, there has to be buck this time of year.




We parked up at the side of a newly ploughed in field, surrounded by tall fields. This has to be a good spotting zone.

We called for ten minutes, but with no result. Moving further up the field, some 100 meters, still produced nothing. After anther 10 minutes, we decide to move back.
As we chat, I spot a buck standing on the headland in front of us.

He has obviously heard the call, as he does not want to give ground. All the time in the world to take a 40 meters, shoulder shot, to bring him down.



One in the bag. Let’s see how well we get on.



We move on to a large patch of slopping down hill wheat, with a high seat at the top of the vantage point. Phil’s busy on the phone doing business, so I get in the high seat pronto. Scanning the field, for the ‘Y’ shaped faces of the does above the corn, showed nothing.

Phil scrambled into the high seat to join me, and started to call.

As I scanned across the field, I saw a blur pass through the bin’s . It was a doe, hotly pursues
by a buck. As they dipped in and out of the ditch at the far end of the field, I followed with the scope. The doe showed no interest to the call, but the buck stopped and appeared curious.

I asked Phil to up the pace on the call . This did enough to stop the in the open . He stood sniffing the air , but with the doe directly behind him. No shot.

“Keeping then call goingâ€,I whispered to Phil. This just froze him long enough for the doe to pass out of shot. long enough to take a slight quartering shot.

The buck followed the doe into the ditch. Long enough for me to rack the bolt and ready myself again.


I was not necessary. He came back out again, looking not the best from his recent encounter- pirouetted- and fell .





Too hot now to carry on, so down to the game dealer

Nice story and pics! I love roe in their summer coat.

Do you have a specific calling sequence, or just a few fieps along the way?

Cheers

Gabriel

Just the usual 3 peeps.

If that proves to be successful in getting a response, than any combination to get the beast closer is worth a try.


Regards

Yesterday evening, I spent a few hours on a high seat until I met this interesting fellow at 21:30. He walked away from me, presenting his rump and I whistled, hoping to make him turn sideways. He stopped, looked back and resumed his walking. When he was at 150 m, I had to make a choice between letting him disappear or take a shot I normally dislike. Considering he held his head erect, his neck stood straight up, so I went for it. My .30-06 bullet entered the back of his neck and exited his throat, dropping the buck like a stone.

Very nice Hunt and good trophy!!

quote:

Considering he held his head erect, his neck stood straight up, so I went for it. My .30-06 bullet entered the back of his neck and exited his throat, dropping the buck like a stone.

Good shot!

Good report Paul, and some nice looking bucks are all the bucks in that area as healthy looking as that? can't wait now, are bucks start tomorrow

Great reports all, good on you Puntgunner and André, those are some really nice bucks,


Rut is in full fling here too, I have now three bucks that I am observing, seems like the smart thing would be to shot the one small spike.

Best regards Chris

IMHO it beats all other stalking.

I generally hold back a bit on calling too much until around next week. If they don't come after a few goes I reckon to leave it and not make them call shy.

I did call like hell on Wednesday to try to attract a buck that I saw half a mile away chasing a doe for 10 minutes at the bottom of the other high seat.

After a few minutes they went in. I waited 5 minutes and then made my way to that seat. When I got in it I glassed and was rewarded with them chasing at the bottom of the seat I'd just vacated I must admit I found it very funny. They can still teach you a lesson or two!

If I wasn't awaiting another military deployment I know where I would be right now.

I know I am moving to Florida sometime between March and June of 2009. I also have a June 2009 military deployment. I have a feeling I will be flying home and then flying back in August to whack a few roe bucks.

Thanks to all for the photos and reports. I can't wait to take my first roe this fall! ...with the "Roe Drilling" for sure.

Luv2safari,

Fall? August at the latest for sure.

Why would you hunt them in the Fall when they rut in July and August.

quote:

Originally posted by D99:
Luv2safari,

Fall? August at the latest for sure.

Why would you hunt them in the Fall when they rut in July and August.

The rut is great fun but depending on how early or late it is and what the weather is like it might well be the case that the majority of wheat isn't harvested by the time it's over.

Later season can be excellent. Quite a few of us will move onto other species in October because they're starting to rut (fallow, sika and reds) but I'd be happy to continue on roe bucks if I didn't.

Then of course we have to shoot the same number if not more of does from November onwards.....

- tracked this fella yesterday:



Hunter shot him frontal - grazed the shoulder and made a mistake - went to look for it with his unexperienced young dog - buck went for 200 m and lay down - he flushed him and let the dog loose - dog chased the buck and after 1/2 hour returned without a sign of finding - I came 4 hours later in full 32C - 90F heat - had no difficulties to the bed, but afterwards there wasn't a drop of blood to be seen - however buck went straight to the village and was recovered after additional 300m - dead. Bullet striked the shoulder joint and sent some fragments into chest cavity that were fatal. If guy would let the buck to rest for an hour we would pick him up on his first bed with even less sweat.

Nice story and result Mouse.

Your dog must be worth his weight in gold!

Rgds Ian

Thx Ian - indeed - it is priceless - Bora is in her 7th year and on her peak - sadly it will remain there for only 2 or 3 years more - then she will begin to deteriorate - the nose and will to track will even get better, but the strength and speed to catch up with the quarry will be gone.

Mouse,

Thanks for posting. Again, you adventures with your dog are always fun to read. Do you have a youngster coming through the ranks yet?

Rgds,
FB

FB no youngster yet - I have a growing time problem lately so who knows if there will even be one - will surely try but to make a good one takes a lot of time

Just an interesting story - the guy that shot the buck showed me his call that proved to be fatal for a buck above - it is made out of ivory and it belonged to a young countess that was found dead by a headshot from her own rifle in our woods at roe rut time ~100 years ago - it is still unclear if it was an accident or a suicide - neat litle call with surprisingly clear - bit dull sound.

Mouse, I love to see your stories and pictures of your dog. I know none of us want to need the services of a blood hound, but they are great to see in action.

I am planning / hoping to get to Slovenia in October to hunt boar.

D99,

Late October and early November to get a cross section of the varieties available. I also want a buck and doe roe to mount together. I'll be cow elk hunting here in NV Oct 1-15.

That time of the year I devote to my hunting. I have to farm my small patch until mid-Oct., and I get busy in mid November with freeze claims and storm related damage...on through the winter.

After seeing all these great photos, I wish I were able to leave for England right now.

L2S,

Should you ever wish to come to England for Bucks and Does then it woud need to be for a week overlapping Oct/Nov, as the buck season ends 31st Oct and the doe season opens on 1st Nov.

Of course at that time of year there is a whole host of other stuff to do too.

Rgds,
FB

quote:

Originally posted by Claret_Dabbler:
I am planning / hoping to get to Slovenia in October to hunt boar.

Allright - hope it turns out for you - I will be in Zim at that time (end of Oct - Nov) - however shoot me a note and perhaps we can meet and

Although Ive had a reasonable success our rut seem s to be over and was not very prominent.[URL= ] [/URL]
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That looks like a nice head Pearling!

What age you got him at? Slopping coronets, little amount pedicle but young looking withers?

The teeth will reveal all!!

Are the gloves covering the bullet exit??

Well done

Pearling, those are both beauties! Can you tell us about the circumstances surrounding their demise?

Hey only just realised they are 2 different beasts!! after Boggies post!!

They are both beauties!!

Some very nice roe bucks here
Our season start August 10, the very same day I board the plane for RSA / Limpopo.
But then again...you can´t have it all

Fortunately the season lasts until Dec 23, so there are still hope...

Fallow...

Exactly my plans! I'll be there Oct 23-Nov5.

Sorry about that still learning how to put up pictures.The bottom buck (younger one) was with a doe at the time but lives on a new clearfell my remit is to reduce damage on all the young plantations within season.It was special because my 8 yr old boy was with me. He has come out severl times but it is like having your own personal brassband.So I was surprised to have stumbled onto them with him.
Unfortunately he was passing his genes on at the time we saw them. so after a bit of time of time and a decent safe oppertunity he was culled. I was asked many questions by my boy so it was a case of explaining the birds and bees. He was quite taken with it all and couldnt wait to tell his mum.
The othere buck is actually middle aged nightwalker but weighed in at 30 lb only. The gloves were thrown down in a hurry because I was getting eaten alive by midges and had yet to gralloch.Through the whole rut I have had no joy calling but stalked into everything.

That will explain the young looking withers then, he looks a beauty.

Midges are serious with us at the moment - were eating me the other morning at 02:00, whilst waiting for a fox!!

Even the "skin so soft" didn't seem to work!!

the forecast yesterday looked good so picked it as a good day to go out for a spot of calling,

5am was nice and calm,dry and warmish,

by 10am had this little lot cleaned out and ready for breakfast





had a mooch about for the rest of the morning, called in another one but couldnt get a shot off.

after lunch carried on and managed to get this beauty in the bag



moved to another spot had another try and called a yearling in to about 8 yds, couldnt get a safe shot because of the terrain so he lived for another day!

all in all i had a great day and some testing shooting.

Good work there Alex,

I guess it wasn´t all just hard work and no fun?

I really like that buck with the spade like antlers, a bit funny looking.

Best regards Chris

thanks chris,



that buck was a real old one with broken off tips on both antlers, he paid no attention to the regular peeps on the caller and without even a twitch of his ears he carried on merrily browsing, it was a different story when we tried the doe getting raped call, thought he was going to join us in the high seat!

Alex-

Yeah those old bucks are truly mad as hell during the rut, the rest of the year the are like the ghosts of the grounds, at least that is the way it is over here.

It´s during the rut one can get to them.

Best regards Chris

You're all lucky C***S!! I REALY REALY wish we had roe in are tiny little county, I've been out twice from the season opened and seen nothing but rain,rain and more rain! but at least I have my new Sako to look at in the Rain!

I was out last Saturday evening on new ground in Tyrone. This is my second trip only this season.

Spotted two groups of Sika at some distance. Tried to put a stalk in on them, but was unfamiliar with the ground. The net result was that I fell arse over tit into a drain. My buddy laughed so much we scared most of the deer in Tyrone back across the border into Donegal.

Will try again this weekend if it ever stops raining. I am really going to have to get a synthetic rifle.

Still appear to be responding to the call (called a buck this morning) but need to be deeper in the territory.

Not seen any chasing for a while now

Season opens on the 16 of august at 4 01 am, one hour before daylight breaks.

Due to a bit of a travel to the lease I shoot on, I had to stay the night at the grounds.



I had two friends, fellow hunters join me at three in the morning on saturday, as a good host I came to hand then both the hotter seats and I even lend out my rifle to one of them.

Came to sit in an off side high seat with my old Husqvarna M98 in 9,3x62 a bit of owerkill for roe but still most usefull.

The field I over looked is some 240 meters long and about 4:20 a roe popped out in the end of the field, due to the lowlight I was unable to see what sex it had.

Slowly the light came and the roe advanced in increaments towards me, apparently following a scent trail from another roe, at about 5:01 the buck as it turned out was at some 100 meters, I had a good broadside and let the 9,3 roar.



A yearling with a head that resembles a muntjac, was down on the ground.

After we broke for the morning, the others guys left, families and stuff.

I came to take a nap and then set up hide over the pea bait I have had going on for a while, the pidgeons came by but few came down, I got a few and then felt that the action was to slow too continue.

I hade a slow evening saturday went for a badger or two but no luck. Sunday was windy and rainy, I had all but called it a day, had my gear all packed up and wating at the farm house, girlfriend due in three hours and nothing to do.

I took my rifle and whent to owerlook a field to the lakeside, I knew a big buck had his bedding there, been spotting him all during pre season.

After an hour and a half in rain and storm nothing had been seen, so I decided that I should stalk the lakeside, weeds and forrest.

The wind was strong and turning, a bad sign however it completly muffled the sounds of me stumbling around.

I came to a bit of clearing that sides the spot were the bedding area is, from my left the buck came out with the doe at about 12 meters, he saw slightly walking away from me as I raised the rifle he stopped,

well not even I can miss at 12 meters,



A would be nice 6 pointer if he had not broken one spike early in the season.

I think I earned this buck, your opinion may vary.

Sorry about the poor quality of the pics.

Best regards Chris

Great report Chris.

There is something about taking a deer while camping out that makes it seem even better.

I really need to get Roe stalking. Never taken one.

Brian, thanks,you are ohh so right about the camping part, besides doing so means that it´s almost impossible to ower sleep as well, the birds usually wakes me up ahead of the alarm.

Roe stalking is hard at least in Sweden, taking one from a high seat is not so hard, but on the ground stalking is hard here.

The presence of Lynx in Sweden and sometimes even where I hunt has had roes become ever so much more aware and easily spooked.

Well my score this weekend means that I am in for some serious fox and badger hunting the rest of the fall season, perhaps I can take another deer this winter.

Best regards Chris